Changes in Cancer Functional Assessment Set and Functional Independence Measure After Intradural Extramedullary Tumor Resection: A Case Report

Cureus, 2020 · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.11184 · Published: October 26, 2020

Simple Explanation

The Cancer Functional Assessment Set (cFAS) is a tool to measure physical abilities in cancer patients, helping to see how well they're doing and if rehab is helping. This report looks at a patient who had a tumor removed from their spinal cord and then went through rehab. The cFAS was used to track their progress. The patient's scores on the cFAS and another test called FIM improved after surgery and rehab, showing they were getting better at daily activities after dealing with problems from the spinal cord issue.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

1 male patient

Evidence Level

Level 4: Case Report

Key Findings

1
The patient's FIM (motor component) score improved from 58 to 88 after rehabilitation.
2
The patient's cFAS score improved from 55 to 86 after rehabilitation.
3
The patient was able to return to his printing work in August 2018, after being discharged in July 2018.

Research Summary

This case report describes the use of cFAS in rehabilitation after thoracic intradural extramedullary tumor resection. Both cFAS and FIM improved after surgery with rehabilitation, reflecting improvement in activities of daily living during recovery from position sense disturbance. The improvements in cFAS and FIM scores over time with rehabilitation reflected improvements in activities of daily living during recovery from position sense disturbance.

Practical Implications

Assessment of Spinal Cord Tumors

cFAS may be a useful tool for assessing spinal cord tumors, particularly in the presence of posterior cord injury.

Rehabilitation Planning

The cFAS, FIM, and FBS can positively contribute to the assessment index of physical function and rehabilitation interventions in patients with cancer.

Early Surgical Resection

Performing surgical resection within six months from the onset of subjective symptoms may lead to early improvement.

Study Limitations

1
The case report involved a single case from a single facility and could not be generalized.
2
Correlations for/between each assessment could not be evaluated.
3
Further research is recommended to identify the generalizability of criteria for evaluation in patients with posterior compression of the spinal cord.

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